Apparatus for clearing punched blanks from a punching assembly



July 26, 1955 H TAYLOR 2,713,901

P. APPARATUS FOR CLEARING PUNCHED BLANKS FROM A PUNCHING ASSEMBLY FiledSept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY July 26, 19552,713,901

P. H. TAYLO R APPARATUS FOR CLEARING PUNCHED BLANKS FROM A PUNCHINGASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m mm 40/ 5 47 y INVENTOR4y faulfiflb rlar BY g %.4%

ATTORNEY United States Patent Gilice 2,?l3,90l Patented July 26, 1955APPARATUS FOR CLEARING PUNCHED BLANKS FROM A PUNCHING ASSEMBLY Paul H.Taylor, North Tonawanda, N. Y., assignor to Wales-Strippit Corporation,North Tonawanda, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September19, 1950, Serial No. 185,602 5 Claims. (Cl. 164-21) This inventionrelates to an apparatus for clearing punched blanks from a punchingassembly.

The principal object of the invention is to provide punching apparatusof the character generally described wherein stripping of each punchedblank, or work-piece, is effected simultaneously with, and as anincident to, the punching of a succeeding blank and without the aid ofspecial or supplemental stripping means.

A further object is to provide punching apparatus for the purposeindicated which is in the form of a self-contained, or unit, assemblyand which may be employed in connection with conventional presses.

A still further object is to provide for facility in handling thepunching apparatus and the parts thereof and in removing the punchedblanks, or work-pieces, from the apparatus.

A still further object is a novel design and arrangement of the parts ofthe apparatus, whereby to provide for simplicity and economy inconstruction and insure ease and accuracy in operation.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of punching apparatus embodying thefeatures of the invention, the apparatus being illustrated in connectionwith stock material from which blanks, or work-pieces, are to be punchedthe blanking die being shown mounted on a base-plate which is soconstructed that the removal of the blank from the apparatus will befacilitated, and the blanking punch and the blanking die being shown inoperative relation, respectively, to the bed and ram of a press by whichactuation of the parts of the apparatus is to be effected;

Figure 2 is a section, to reduced scale, taken along line 22 of Figure 1and illustrates the relation of the parts of the apparatus and the stripof stock material from which the work-pieces are to be punched prior tothe initial blanking operation;

Figure 3 is a similar section showing the relation of the parts after awork-piece has been punched from the stock material, the work-piecebeing shown lodged between the shearing edges of the blanking die;

Figure 4 is a similar section illustrating the relation of the partsupon completion of the second punching operation in which the initialwork-piece is stripped from between the shearing edges of the blankingdie and drops upon the base plate supporting the blanking punch andblanking die while the second work-piece is lodged between the shearingedges of the blanking die;

Figure 5 is a similar section showing the blanking punch and blankingdie separated and moved laterally to a position in which the originalwork-piece has dropped through an opening in the base plate and onto thebed of the press so that it may be readily removed and prior to thereturn of the punch and die elements to the position in which a thirdwork-piece may be punched out of the stock material While the secondwork-piece is stripped from between the shearing edges of the blankingdie; and

\ the shearing edges of the blanking die Figure 6 is a transversesection of Figure 1.

As best illustrated in Figure l, the blanking assembly comprises ablanking die 2%, and a blanking punch 21b, these parts being shown inperspective. It will be noted that all of the parts are generallytriangular in shape as the blanks, or work-pieces, one of which isindicated at 2311 in Figure 4, to be produced are of such shape.Obviously, square, round or otherwise-shaped blanks, or work-pieces, maybe produced, it being understood that, although the shearing edges ofthe blanking die and blanking punch will conform to such shape, theoverall, or outside, shape of such blanking elements is not necessarilydictated by the shape of such shearing edges.

The blanking die 20b is formed, or provided around its inner walls andat the top thereof with a shearing edge, the latter preferably being or"a slightly greater height than the thickness of the stock material 19,and hence of a slightly greater height than the thickness of the blanks,or work-pieces, to be punched from said material. The shearing edge isof a shape which will produce blanks, or work-pieces, of the desiredshape and a clearance is provided below the shearing edge.

The blanking punch 2122 has a marginal edge which taken along line 66corresponds in shape to that of the shearing edge of the blanking die,the side and bottom walls of the blanking punch cooperating with theshearing edge of the blanking die to punch blanks, or work-pieces, fromthe stock material.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated the blanking punch 21b islocated over the blanking die 2%, the blanking punch being normally heldin spaced-apart relation with respect to the blanking die by springs 42(Figure 6) around the guide pins 33a. Preferably the guide apertures inthe blanking punch are provided by ball bushings 45 which are adapted toprevent binding between the blanking punch and the guide pins as aresult of any misalignment of the parts or any inequality in the actionof the springs 42.

In accordance with the invention, a base plate 40 is ar ranged upon thebed 17 of the press and provides a support for the punching assembly. Asbest shown in Figure l, the base plate 40 is U-shaped, the cross memberthereof providing an area upon which the punching assembly is arrangedduring operation of the ram or" the press to actuate the assembly. Thelegs of the base plate provide supports for the opposite ends of thepunching assembly and define an opening 41 over which the punchingassembly is adapted to be moved upon completion of the blankingoperations.

In Figure 2 a blanking punch and blanking die are shown supported uponthe cross member of the base plate and held in spaced-apart relation bythe springs 42, the leading end of the strip of stock material 19 beingshown located between the blanking punch and blanking die.

In Figure 3 the parts are shown after the completion of the firstblanking operation, a work-piece 23b being shown punched from the stripof stock material and lodged between the shearing edges of the blankingdie.

Figure 4 shows the same relation of the parts of the apparatus aftercompletion of the second punching operation during which a secondwork-piece 23c has been punched out of the stock material and lodgedbetween 20b while the original work-piece 23b has been stripped from theblanking die and caused to enter the clearance adjacent to and below theshearing edges thereof and come to rest upon the cross piece of the baseplate.

Upon completion of the second punching operation, the press parts areseparated, as shown in Figure 5, and the blanking assembly movedlaterally to a position over the opening 41 in the base plate. Thismovement of the blanking assembly slides the Work-piece 2311 which hasbeen stripped from the blanking die to a position over the opening 41.Consequently the work-piece 23b enters the opening 41 and comes to restupon the bed 17 of the press clear of the punching assembly and in aposition in which it is readily accessible for removal. During thismovement of the blanking assembly, the strip of stock material remainsstationary and the apparatus is preferably so designed that when theblanking assembly reaches 1 the position in which the strippedwork-piece enters the opening 41, the blanking punch 21b will be locatedover the next section of the strip of stock material from which the nextwork-piece is to be punched. Hence the blanking punch 21b may bedepressed at such time to grip the strip of stock material 19 between itand the blanking die 2011 so that as the punching assembly is returnedto its original position over the cross piece of the base plate 4:) itwill carry the stock material with it, feeding a new section of thestock material into position to be punched.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the stock material may befed in the desired increments as an incident to the movements of theblanking assembly which are availed of to clear the assembly of thework-pieces which are punched from the stock material. The embodimentdescribed, therefore, has the advantage that clearing of the work-piecesfrom the blanking assembly is facilitated, the apparatus is simplifiedand the operations involved reduced in number.

The method and apparatus described, therefore, have the advantage thatthe use of separate stripping apparatus is rendered unnecessary. At thesame time, the blanking die serves as a temporary holder for each blank,or workpiece, and consequently facilitates handling of the blanks, orwork-pieces, in removing them from the blanking apparatus and press withwhich the blanking apparatus is employed.

It will be seen, therefore, that a finished blank, or workpiece, isstripped from the blanking die in each operation of the ram as asucceeding blank, or workpiece is being punched out of the stockmaterial, and that after each operation of the ram, beginning with thesecond operation, the blanking assembly is moved laterally over thestripped workpiece into a position where it is readily accessible forremoval, and that upon return of the blank ing assembly to workingposition a new section of stock material will be fed into position to bepunched on the subsequent stroke of the ram.

It is to be understood that the blanks, or work-pieces, illustrated areintended merely by way of example as the invention contemplates thepunching out of blanks, or work-pieces, of various sizes and shapes fromvarious sizes and shapes of stock material.

I claim as my invention:

1. Apparatus of the character described comprising a blanking punch anda blanking die between which stock material may be introduced and whichare operatively related as an assembly adapted to be located between thecooperating stationary and movable parts of a press, said die having adie cavity extending completely therethrough, and a base plate mountedupon one of said parts and having an area upon which said assembly issupported during operation of said press and an opening located at oneside of said area, said opening having a width less than the overallwidth of said die but a width and a length greater than the width andlength of the die cavity, said die being mounted directly on said baseplate, and said punch being mounted in said assembly above said die,whereby said assembly may be moved over said opening after operation ofsaid press so that a blank punched from said stock material may entersaid opening and in so doing be cleared from said assembly which maythen be returned to its original position over said area.

2. Apparatus of the character described comprising a blanking punch anda blanking die between which stock material may be introduced and whichare operatively related as an assembly adapted to be located between thecooperating stationary and movable parts of a press, said (lie having adie cavity extending therethrough, resilient means for normally holdingsaid blanking punch and blanking die in spaced-apart relation, and abase plate mounted upon one of said parts and having an area upon whichsaid assembly is supported during operation of said press and an openinglocated at one side of said area, said opening having a width less thanthe overall width of said die but a width and a length greater than thewidth and length of the die cavity, said die being mounted directly onsaid base plate, and said punch being mounted in said assembly abovesaid die, whereby said assembly may be moved over said opening afteroperation of said press so that a blank punched from said stock materialmay enter said opening and in so doing be cleared from said assemblywhich may then be returned to its original position over said area.

3. Apparatus of the character described comprising a blanking punch anda blanking die between which stock material may be introduced and whichare operatively related as an assembly adapted to be located between thecooperating stationary and movable parts of a press, resilient means fornormally holding said blanking die and blanking punch in spacedrelation, said die having an opening extending therethrough, a shearingedge at one end of said opening, and an inner axially-extending marginalwall bounding said opening for a portion of its height and lying belowsaid shearing edge and in which a blank becomes lodged when the blank ispunched from said stock material, said opening being enlarged below saidmarginal wall to provide a clearance space into which the first blankmay enter when another blank is punched, and a base plate adapted to bemounted upon one of said press parts and having an area for supportingsaid assembly between said press parts, during operation of said press,and an opening located at one side of said area, the last-named openinghaving a width less than the overall width of said die but a width and alength greater than the width and length of the first-named opening,said die being mounted directly on said base plate, and said punch beingmounted in said assembly above said die, whereby said assembly may bemoved over said last-named opening, after operation of said press, sothat a blank which has entered said clearance space may enter saidlast-named opening and in so doing be cleared from said assembly.

4. Apparatus of the character described comprising a blanking punch anda blanking die for punching blanks from a strip of stock materiallocated between them, said die having a die cavity extendingtherethrough, means for aligning the blanking punch and blanking dieopperatively together as an assembly, and a base plate having an areaupon which said assembly is supported during operation of said press andan opening located at one side of said area, said opening having a widthless than the overall width of said die but a width and a length greaterthan the width and length of the die cavity, said die being mounteddirectly on said base plate, and said punch being mounted in saidassembly above said die, said assembly being movable after operation ofsaid press, and without moving said stock material, to a position oversaid opening so that blanks punched from said stock material may entersaid opening and in so doing be cleared from said assembly, saidblanking elements being operable to grip said stock material and iced itlengthwise as the assembly is returned to its original position oversaid area.

5. Punching apparatus for use with a press having a bed, and a ram, andin which the ram has a limited punching stroke, comprising a U-shapedbase plate which is mounted upon said bed and which has a cross portionaligned with said ram and laterally projecting parallel legs, a femaleblanking die adapted to be mounted on marginal wall defining a diecavity, a shearing edge at the upper end of said wall and clearancespace joining said die cavity below said wall and opening onto said baseplate when the die is positioned on the base plate, and said punchhaving a shearing edge adapted to confront and cooperate with theshearing edge of said die, the axial length of the marginal wall of saiddie being so proportioned to the length of the punching stroke of theram that a blank upon being punched from stock material will lodge insaid wall, and the areas of said blanking die and punch beingsufiiciently great to frictionally grip said stock material upon beingpressed thereagainst whereby said punch and die may be used to grip andfeed stock material from a position over the space between the legs ofsaid base plate to a position over the cross portion of said base plate,the distance between the legs of said base plate being less than thewidth of said die but being greater than the Width of said die cavity,and the length of said legs being greater than the length of said diecavity.

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